I-86 Innovation Corridor – Strategic Action Plan

I-86 Innovation Corridor – Strategic Action Plan

July 2015

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Camoin Associates | I‐86 Corridor Project Strategic Action Plan: Executive Summary 2

Executive Summary

This Strategic Action Plan for the I‐86 Innovation Corridor is designed to accelerate public/private

investment, create job opportunities, advance regional competiveness, and create the magnetism to

draw and keep young, skilled workforce participants. The Plan exploits, connects, and leverages the

region’s strengths and resources, including key physical and innovation assets, which have been

identified in a set of foundational studies and analyses. In addition, the Plan includes specific strategies

to fill voids in the region’s innovation infrastructure, and projects to embody the strategies.

Why the “Innovation Corridor”?

The I‐86 Innovation Corridor, home to a skilled workforce with a historically strong work ethic, is a scenic

stretch of New York’s Southern Tier located between the intersection of I‐99 at the Pennsylvania border

in Steuben County and I‐86 at the Elmira interchange in

Chemung County. Today, the area hosts hundreds of

manufacturers, large and small, many with roots extending

back over 100 years. However, recent declines in

manufacturing employment, changing demographics,

disruptive technologies, natural disasters, globalization and a

host of other trends mean that a new future is needed for

the region, one that is focused on innovation. Simply put, the

region cannot continue in the “business as usual” framework

but instead needs to find new, innovative ways of working together to transform the area back into an

economic powerhouse.

Recognizing this reality, seven municipalities and the counties of Chemung and Steuben banded

together with a network of community, civic and business leaders to lead up this effort. As shown

below, those municipalities include the towns of Erwin, Corning, Big Flats and Horseheads, the cities of

Corning and Elmira, and the Village of Horseheads.

…a new future is needed for the region, one that is focused on innovation.


Chemung County, Steuben County, Corning

Incorporated and a host of other businesses and

non‐profit organizations joined with the

municipalities to create a vision of transforming

this industrial, commercial and residential area.

The Stakeholders (listed in full in the

Acknowledgements section) understand the

region’s past successes in building new

businesses from new ideas and strongly believe

that the region can again become a leader

through innovation.

The Stakeholders envision a future in which

existing and new pockets of research, innovation

and technology along the urban/rural Corridor,

and attractive, vibrant communities join to

attract and retain highly talented, creative people and their families, while leveraging the skills and

talents of today's Southern Tier residents.

What is Innovation?

In the context of this plan, the term innovation is used in a

number of traditional and non‐traditional ways, summarized

as follows:

Innovation in Technology – this includes the creation of new intellectual property through research

and the commercialization of such new technologies,

and adopting new and existing technologies created

elsewhere into the region’s current

industrial/commercial base to improve on companies’

competitiveness in the global economy. Companies that

are innovative in either of these ways grow faster, have

higher profits, increase their employment base and pay

better than their non‐innovating counterparts.

Innovation in Governance – globalization knows no boundaries, so the days of each municipality acting

on its own are over. Instead, the plan calls for new

combinations of governing structures including shared

power/responsibilities/funding and coordinated efforts

across communities, school districts and counties.

Innovation in Cooperation – likewise, the plan calls for new cooperative structures in the private sector

to better leverage nearby research institutions in

“The I‐86 Innovation Corridor is recognized as

a destination business development location,

distinguished by its concentration of multi‐

national anchor companies, advanced

infrastructure to support innovation and

technology, rich educational and research

resources, specialized and skilled workforce

and vibrant communities.”

THE VISION


combination with local talent and business innovation assets.

Innovation in Communications – the region needs to change both its message and the

methods by which it communicates its message. This is as true for internal audiences such as local

residents, businesses and institutions as it is for external communications to business and talent

attraction targets. By nurturing a culture of innovation, the Corridor will naturally adopt an

innovation identity, and the momentum of this message within the community will transcend its

borders across many channels and networks.

Not everything needs to be created from scratch, however. Much to the contrary, the Plan recognizes

the substantial key assets in the study area that can be leveraged to achieve the vision of the Innovation

Corridor.

Key Assets Available to Leverage

Several types of assets exist in most regions where

innovation is driving economic growth and vitality. These

innovation ingredients already exist in the Corridor and can

be utilized to magnify this I‐86 Corridor initiative. The

following is not meant to be an exhaustive list, but

examples of each asset and their availability to be leveraged

by the Plan.

Anchor institutions: In the places where innovation is working, there are usually some anchor institutions that generate intellectual property. Anchor

institutions are often important sources of innovation, both technological and social. These are often a college or more likely a research university, although medical institutions like hospitals, especially teaching hospitals, and/or federal laboratories can serve this purpose. In communities where these institutions are not present, corporate R&D consortia and/or joint ventures with regional educational institutions can fill this role. Examples within the Corridor: Elmira College, the new Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Corning Community College, Guthrie Corning Hospital. Near the Corridor are Cornell University, Binghamton University and Alfred University. Alfred State College is a critical workforce development institution.

These key innovation

ingredients already exist in

the Corridor and can be

utilized to magnify this I‐86

Corridor initiative.


Entrepreneurs and support institutions: Entrepreneurs are essential because they are more

likely to seize upon the knowledge being developed in the anchor institutions than employees located within the institutions themselves. The support organizations serve a convening role, and give the entrepreneurs the visibility, community, network, and know‐how to take advantage of the opportunities that they see. Examples within the Corridor: IncubatorWorks, part of the Southern Tier Startup Alliance with formal ties to Cornell, Binghamton and Alfred Universities and the Ceramics Corridor Innovation Center.

Larger companies: In addition to being a source of innovation, these are also important because

they can help the entrepreneurs move to scale quickly and because, to the extent that they represent the existence of a cluster of companies in a particular sector, they demonstrate the density of community and networks linked to successful growth. Examples within the Corridor: This is clearly the I‐86 Corridor’s biggest strength. Starting with Corning Incorporated, with its Sullivan Park and Big Flats research and development centers, and other multi‐national corporations, including the large number of businesses in the transportation equipment manufacturing and food production/manufacturing sectors, and their extensive supply chains throughout the Southern Tier, these companies are responsible for much of the region’s economic vitality.

Physical infrastructure: Innovation corridors exist within vibrant communities, attracting and retaining the highly skilled and diverse workforce that contributes to the creativity necessary for innovation. The attractiveness of metro areas, large and small, to Millennials and Baby Boomers is limited only by their adoption of and support for physical infrastructure such as denser, more “urban” housing options and walkable neighborhoods, historic preservation, maintenance of an authentic feeling of “place,” the transit options that make a place “green,” and the high speed broadband availability that enables so much of the technology prevalent today. Examples within the Corridor: Vibrant downtown Corning, Corning Museum of Glass, Elmira‐Corning Regional Airport, recreational assets.


Strategy Framework

To achieve the vision, five corresponding strategies are outlined in this plan and are displayed in graphic

format below.

At the core is the Leadership (political, business, institutional and non‐profit) necessary to foster and create all of the other necessary underlying ingredients of the Innovation Corridor. Next are the

Sources of Innovation from which new technologies are and will be created and commercialized in

the Corridor, such as entrepreneurs, anchor businesses and research assets. Human Capital and the

Built Environment follow, bringing together the people and infrastructure that are necessary to

create a vibrant community. Finally, an Identity and Marketing strategy fuels internal momentum

toward self‐identification as an Innovation Corridor, a message that then transcends the community’s

borders.

These strategies are described in more detail below, together with descriptions of the priority projects

that demonstrate the actions associated with each strategy. Also listed are all other projects associated

with that strategy, details of which can be found in each strategy’s respective Appendix, as well as in the

project forms in Appendix 7. Please note that some projects correspond to multiple strategies (example:

talent attraction touches on the Human Capital, Built Environment and Identity and Marketing

strategies).


Strategy: Leadership/Governance

There is an exceptional degree of collaboration among the two counties, seven municipalities, and

various companies and non‐profit organizations in the I‐86 Corridor. Many Stakeholders have remarked

that this cooperative spirit is unprecedented in past decades. The Stakeholders require a framework for

strong and lasting collaboration among those who remain committed to a long‐term focus on

development of the Corridor, to jointly addressing future challenges, and to jointly embracing evolving

opportunities. The full project description is in Appendix 7.

Recommended Priority Project

“I‐86 Innovation Corridor Implementation Leadership”: Create a

leadership organization whose mission will be two‐fold: (a) drive and

guide the implementation of the I‐86 plan, and (b) continuously

update the plan to keep it relevant. A board of directors composed of

its major funders and regional decision‐makers will govern the

organization. The organization will be staffed by a project manager

who could physically be located in the Southern Tier Central Regional

Planning & Development Board offices in Corning, thus obviating the

need for new systems and facilities. The project manager’s role will be to build coalitions, apply for

funding, oversee projects with cooperative elements, report on progress, update the plan and do all

other tasks necessary to advance the objectives of the plan.

Other Projects

Other governance and leadership‐related actions include:

A cooperative water/wastewater agency under the “Regionalization of Water/Wastewater”

project.

A convening mechanism to accelerate industry‐education partnerships and information sharing

under the “Strengthen Workforce Development – Economic Development Coordination”

project.

A network of social, cultural and educational organizations under the “Council of Non‐Profits”

project.

Strategy: Sources of Innovation

This strategy is meant to leverage regional research and development assets and infuse new

technologies into existing manufacturers and entrepreneurs so they will increase their competitiveness,

contributing to a growing economy. This section describes the initiatives needed to transform the

Corridor by introducing more innovation and capitalizing on the commercialization of innovation already

occurring here. Further details and background are contained in Appendices 2 and full project

descriptions in Appendix 7.

Recommended Priority Projects

“Center for Technology Infusion”: Establish this center, which will develop advanced technologies for

the transportation equipment manufacturing sector in the Southern Tier. The center will be a test bed

for new technologies such as energy storage, autonomous vehicles, and new materials, and their


application into the sector. It will include research laboratories, prototyping facilities, testing facilities,

and meeting areas.

The Center will have multi‐disciplinary researchers recruited

from all over the world, as well as affiliated faculty and

students from Binghamton University and Alfred University.

Researchers will be given a five‐year stipend, a lab, and

staff. Internships will be available to local high school and

college/university students interested in careers in

advanced transportation manufacturing, helping to recruit

and retain engineering talent in the region.

It is proposed that the center will be an industry‐led consortium, working in partnership academic

institutions such as Binghamton and Alfred Universities. The center would be modeled after other

successful centers such as The Small Scale System Integration and Packaging Center at Binghamton

University [S3IP], a New York State Center of Excellence. Under such as model, the academic institutions

could operate the center. This governance strategy allows industry to share in the pre‐competitive

research (i.e. basic research), but also be able to individually sponsor proprietary research projects and

maintain intellectual property control. It also allows university‐level talent to be applied to specific areas

of industry interest, with results generated on timelines that are responsive to industry needs.

The Center could be located near the airport, or it could be located closer to industry in Elmira.

“IncubatorWorks Expansion”: Complete the funding for the development

and operations of a new incubator space, operated by IncubatorWorks / the

Ceramics Corridor Innovation Center, at the old Schweitzer building near the

airport. While construction funding has been identified and secured,

operational funding required to properly staff the facility is still outstanding.

Other Projects

Other Sources of Innovation projects include:

“IncubatorWorks Makerspace” – Develop makerspace resources (additive printers, machining

equipment computers, software for programming and design, library research, etc.) at

IncubatorWorks.

“Commercial Kitchen and Food Hub” – Create an innovative commercial kitchen within a food

hub and incubator where small agricultural and other businesses can undertake food processing

or other value‐added operations.

“I‐86 Road to Your Dreams” – Provide young people (middle school) with an engaging

experience that helps them understand the pathway to—and teaches them the skills for—

becoming entrepreneurs.

“E‐Mentor Network” – Establish a vetted network of 30‐50 experienced professionals with an

interest in mentoring entrepreneurs.


“Southern Tier Entrepreneurial Workshops” – Celebrate local entrepreneurs with an annual

conference and monthly meeting.

“Technology Transfer Service Center” – Provide assistance to small entrepreneurial companies

so that they can both manage their own IP portfolios and negotiate with other sources of IP,

such as universities.

“Commercialization Rocks!” – Evaluate R&D projects for commercialization potential.

Strategy: Human Capital

This strategy develops and retains an educated and skilled workforce to fill and create jobs in the

Corridor, to ensure that its industries have the human resources to grow and that local residents benefit

broadly from that growth. This section addresses the need to strengthen the education pipeline and its

connection to local industry, address skill deficits among incumbent and hard‐to‐place workers, and

leverage the knowledge and energy of the Corridor’s skilled retirees. Further details and background are

contained in Appendix 3 with full project descriptions in Appendix 7.

Recommended Priority Project

“Strengthen Workforce Development – Economic Development

Coordination”: Establish an organizational structure or mechanism to support,

integrate and advance existing and new workforce development efforts

throughout the region, and to be responsible for coordinating shared strategic

direction among workforce development, economic development, and

education and training providers.

This organization or mechanism must regularly convene industry and

education leaders to exchange information about workforce needs and

training programs. In addition, the organization or mechanism would

aggregate and distribute information about the needs of employers gathered through the various

business outreach programs in the region and data about relevant economic development and

workforce data and trends. For example, the Corridor’s business outreach specialists from the colleges

and economic development organizations could hold a monthly call to review outreach plans and

address any duplication, and establish a shared drive to store and access findings.

Relevantly, the creation of a Southern Tier regional manufacturing workforce training entity is under

discussion at the Southern Tier Regional Economic Development Council. It is recommended that the I‐

86 Corridor Stakeholders seek to have this entity located in the Corridor, or in the case of a

decentralized model, secure a local location for programming of relevance to local employers.

Other Projects

Other Human Capital projects include:

“Community School Program” – Support Elmira City School District’s pilot Community Schools

Program and scale to other schools in the Corridor.


“I‐86 Next Generation Workforce Pipeline” – Conduct a series of worksite immersion activities,

“public relations” activities, and connective programs to change student perceptions of

manufacturing and technical careers and strengthen local career conduits.

“Southern Tier Lifelong Learning Project” – Address the demonstrated deficit of soft skills

among otherwise qualified job‐seekers and contribute to the successful placement of such

groups as veterans, the long‐term unemployed, and hard‐to‐place workers.

“Construction and Redevelopment Training” – Offer paid training for young people and

unemployed or underemployed people to do safe salvage and deconstruction of buildings.

Strategy: Built Environment

This strategy is designed to bring renewed vibrancy to communities in the region so they will attract

workers, entrepreneurs and businesses, with both Corning and Elmira having distinct, vibrant

personalities, and the central district around the airport being developed as a research and

commercialization hub. It is also provides direction for investment in the physical infrastructure of the

region, including a commitment to high‐speed broadband, to support and enable collaboration within

the region and strengthen connections within New York and beyond. Further details and background are

contained in Appendix 4 (Built Environment: Vibrant Communities) and Appendix 5 (Built Environment:

Physical Infrastructure) with full project descriptions in Appendix 7.


“Corridor Housing Redevelopment & Revitalization”: Redevelop and

revitalize existing housing and neighborhoods to address housing needs,

diversity of product and demand in an effort to attract new residents to I‐86

Corridor communities. Implement targeted marketing programs and work

with individual municipalities and counties to identify incentives to attract

housing developers (for‐profit or not‐for‐profit). Closely align efforts with

the findings of existing housing studies. Consider municipally driven programs, such as targeted

demolition or model‐block programs to help revitalize transitional neighborhoods.

“Revitalized Downtown Elmira”: Carry out a downtown revitalization

initiative that incorporates housing, commercial, cultural and recreation

opportunities—all elements that contribute to a vibrant community. The

focused revitalization area would include the downtown core extending

from the Chemung River to W. Water Street to Washington Avenue. The

downtown revitalization project would focus on a strengthened relationship

and collaboration with Elmira College to increase their downtown footprint,

as well as infuse private development dollars into downtown in support of College initiatives.

Subsequent phases may include live/work/design space for young entrepreneurs in related technology

fields that could bridge across into medicine. Additional efforts may include community anchors such as

a library and flex space that could attract international researchers and professors.


“Corning Nursing and Health Education Center”: Develop a mixed‐use

commercial and residential complex at the former Corning Hospital site and

associated properties in the City of Corning. The project includes market rate

residential development to support the attraction of a vibrant workforce with unique and desirable

housing products. The workforce development complex operated by Corning Community College would

provide state‐of‐the‐art nursing and health occupation training that would reinvent health care

education in the 21st century. It would serve as a gateway to the college’s Spencer Hill campus and

promote the advancement of workforce development and continuing education. The CCC facility will

also offer healthy living programming and services for the residents of the development and

surrounding region, and act as a cornerstone to creating a community to support workforce attraction.

“The Big Gig”: Provide gigabit‐speed broadband, the next generation

standard of connectivity, to all residences and businesses in the Corridor

by 2016. As a replication of the current Big Flats model, the project

would use the existing Southern Tier Network backbone and light fiber

off it to communities and ultimately the last mile to residences and

commercial buildings.

“Develop Airport as a Regional and International Destination”:

Redevelop the airport to add necessary capacity and make it the

welcome mat for the region: a modern facility which reflects the

dynamic character of the region and encourages further growth in

tourism and business travel. Based on demand from the natural gas

industry and low‐cost carrier demand, the Elmira Corning Regional

Airport Master Plan projects significant growth for the airport over the next 20 years. Growth in use of

the airport has resulted in capacity constraints on the terminal apron, in the terminal, and in parking.

Other Projects

Other Built Environment projects include:

“Model Design Guidelines for Land Use” – Develop a comprehensive set of design guidelines

and landscape standards for the Corridor.

“Southern Tier Trail Network” – Develop a network of regional trails to support tourism and

improve quality of life for citizens.

“Council of Non‐Profits” – Develop a non‐profit network of social, cultural and educational

organizations that would better support individuals and families in Steuben and Chemung

Counties.

“Powering for the Future” – Build micro‐grids for renewable efficient power, process heat and

power for these sites.

“Regionalization of Water/Wastewater” – Study the concept of a regional agency or approach

to the operations and maintenance of water and wastewater systems, to allow for greater

efficiency in the delivery of these services.

“Muni‐Wifi” – Provide open access to the Internet in downtowns, retail centers and the airport

to enable residents, students and visitors to be connected.

“Access Elmira 2020 – I Can Drive 55” – Design and build a continuation of the Clemens Center

Parkway with a new interchange to I‐86 between Elmira and Elmira Heights.


“Big Horn Intermodal Terminal” – Develop an intermodal facility for loading and unloading of

freight trains.

“Erwin Town Center” – Extend Town Center Road to Chatfield Place with bike lanes and install

high speed fiber.

“Airport Park Development” – Purchase lands west of Airport Corporate Park and extend

infrastructure for advanced technology & manufacturing businesses as well as residential and

commercial developments.

“Horseheads Connector Road” – Build a new connector road from the Host Terminal located

within the Holding Point Complex to Route 13 which connects to I‐86.

“Readiness of Developable Land” – Undertake investments (land purchase, demolition,

infrastructure) in the priority developable sites listed in Appendix 5 that can accommodate

industry expansion or attraction in strategic sectors.

“I‐86 Ultra High Speed Research Network” – Create an ultra‐high speed (10 gigabyte) network

to enable research collaboration between and among major universities and corporations.

Strategy: Identity and Marketing

This strategy will position the I‐86 Corridor as an innovative place, and reflect this vision in the region’s

branding, how it thinks about itself, and how it presents itself to the world, including through tourism

promotion. It provides a plan for marketing and promoting the Corridor’s existing and aspirational

qualities—especially its culture of innovation—in order to attract and retain a qualified workforce,

residents, visitors, and target industries. Attracting new residents from around the country and the

world will not only fill skilled positions, but will produce a diverse community that is conducive to

creativity and innovation. Further details and background are contained in Appendices 6 and 7.


“Building an Identity for the I‐86 Corridor”: Undertake a branding exercise

utilizing the identity and marketing themes that emerged through this

process, especially the Corridor’s emerging identity as having a culture of

innovation. Then, create a simple landing page, project logo, marketing

campaign, and advocacy team that will serve as the foundation for cultivating

and strengthening the I‐86 Corridor Project’s identity. The website will direct

residents and non‐residents to existing online resources about the Corridor communities and to

information about the strategy and the projects. A simple, modern, recognizable logo will represent the

primary theme of the initiative: an innovative community with an innovation culture. The website and

logo will be supported by a consistent marketing and communications campaign that includes a bi‐

monthly e‐newsletter, social media updates, press releases, and ongoing website management.

“Talent Attraction Campaign”: Conduct an attraction campaign targeting

skilled workers, especially young and mid‐career professionals and their

families, to the target area. This initiative should be grounded in the Corridor’s

emerging identity as having a culture of innovation. It should also “plug into”

the region‐wide talent attraction and graduate retention campaign being

included by the Southern Tier Regional Economic Development Council in its

Upstate Revitalization Initiative plan.


Other Projects

Other Identity and Marketing projects include:

“Walking the Talk: Welcoming Diversity” – Create a program to be administered jointly by the

tourism boards in the area to help operators of hospitality businesses and attractions be ready

for international visitors.

“I‐86 Happenings Database” – Create a database to populate a platform to serve locals and

visitors to easily provide directions, details and information about area attractions, restaurants,

hotels, amenities etc.

“I‐86 Corridor Event and Conference Center” – Attract business visitors, serve local businesses,

and showcase the region by converting an existing building in Big Flats to an event and

conference center with an attached restaurant.

Implementation Impacts

The implementation of this I‐86 Innovation Corridor Strategic Action Plan is a multi‐year process, with

full success achieved only after a decade or more of consistent effort and investments. Ideally, the

implementation will be assisted by significant New York State funds secured via the Upstate

Revitalization Initiative and the Consolidated Funding Application rounds. This Plan offers a foundation

on which the region can take an innovative, synergistic approach to pursuing grant funding in which

each opportunity is clearly tied to a unified vision and integrated set of strategies.

In addition, substantial resources will be required from local sources, public and private, to be sustained

through the start‐up, launch and initial phases of implementation. This will require a continuation of the

goodwill, patience and persuasion of the I‐86 Innovation Corridor Stakeholders. How can those

Stakeholders convince their respective funding

sources of the need to make this continued, long‐

term investment? Quite simply, the message has to

be: “Investments in this Corridor are the best hope

we have to secure a bright economic future for our

children.” Everyone is aware of the economic and

demographic challenges the Corridor has faced and

continues to face. Only through a whole‐scale

transformation can those trends be reversed.

On the flip side, what can the Stakeholders hope to achieve by making these investments? The exact

impacts are unknowable at this point, but order‐of‐magnitude outcome predictions are easily

quantifiable. Investments in the I‐86 Innovation Corridor will yield:

Billions of Dollars in Investments

Thousands of Jobs Millions in Tax Revenues for Local Governments

A Renewed Sense of Place, Quality of Life and Vibrancy

“Investments in this Corridor are

the best hope we have to secure

a bright economic future for our

children.”

Documents

I-86 Innovation Corridor – Strategic Action Plan